From: Monte "Hodger" Christensen 
Date: Sat, 8 Aug 2009 16:49:26 -0700
Subject: [BARGE] My Barge Trip Report

I can't believe it has been 15 years since I went to my first Barge at the
Luxor.  Since then Barge has been at the Orleans (not so good), the Plaza
(OK at best), the venetian (decent), and mainly at the Shoe (the nuts).

I flew down from Seattle on Tuesday planning to play Tue/Wed as much serious
poker as possible and then pick up my friends Steve W. and Oliver from the
airport on Thursday for tourneys/drinking games.

The 15-30/30-60 games at the Bellagio and the 20-40 at the mirage is what I
played mostly on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I managed to log 30 hours of play
in those 2 days coming up about $300 ahead for long sessions and only 4
beers.  The vegas games are OK but often on the tighter side.  I am use to
more wild 20-40 and up games in Ca or Wa.  Lots of locals that bitch, bitch, 
bitch is the one thing I found in the daytime.  I mean really is losing with 
A-K to 10-9 on the river with 2 pair all that uncommon?  One local kid that 
says he player professionally was laughing at me saying I was the only 
person he ever saw that had both a Zune player (I actually have 2) and a 
windows mobile smart phone (Samsung Jack).  The entire table starts talking 
about what the #&*$# is a Zune and why would anyone have one.

I wasn't that tired when I woke up @ 10:00 on Thursday morning.  Since I 
didn't drink very much I didn't realize how much better you can feel in 
Vegas with just being tired without being hungover.  I guess that was all 
about to change.  From Thursday afternoon until Saturday night the rest of 
my barge trip consisted of playing poorly,
drinking too much, and a lot of laughter.

On Thursday afternoon we opened a roooling 3-6 HE game at the shoe.  Jim
"bulbert" manages to make a 4 of a kind right away for a $600 bonus.   That 
evening I must have logged 8 more hours of 3-6 straddle poker along with 12 
beers.  I play in the 7stud tourney and play worse than I typically do in 
this event, which is saying a lot.

I woke up on Friday morning really tired and hung over.  I went for a jog to 
get started.  I play poorly in several key hands in the TOC and bust out 
really early.  I did get to sit next to Barry T and get him to sign my book. 
I remember playing poker with Barry at GC back in the early 1990s and now he 
writes really great articles and his book (IMHO).

I made a last longer bet with Steve, Oliver, and John Lloyd.  Steve makes 
10th so I will have to pay off his dinner later.  I buy Oliver dinner at the 
GN buffet which is OK but not great.  I also made it to the karaoke on 
Friday night so I could sing "the gambler", though not very well.  I spend 
the rest of Friday drinking and playing rather poorly in 3-6 games until 
about 2:30 am.

Wake up on Saturday and do the jog thing again to get started.  I play OK in 
this tournament until I way overplay presto.  I raised on the button and was 
called by one player.  The board was 8-4-3 with 2 diamonds.  I made a 
continuation bet and then called a large check raise to put me all in.  I 
was thinking he must be on diamonds and didn't consider anything else.  Of 
course he shows me 33.  I picked up a str8 draw but bust out here around 
95th or so.  I did pick up 2 stuffed animals for busting people which my 
boys liked as a gift.  I play in quite a few $50-500 live tourneys and have 
done fairly well over time.  In Barge I have cashed in 2 events in 15 years 
of playing.  Go figure!

I completely forgot my main even bust out gift or even who busted me.  I had 
planned to bring a business card with my email address so I can mail that 
person a copy of Windows 7 ultimate in October.  I will still make good on 
this if that person emails me privately, unless you are linux or mac user 
and don't want it.

I played some of the worst poker in years on Saturday afternoon at the GN 
while drinking a lot.  In one hand I have QQ and raise.  The board is 555. 
I bet get raised by another player, oliver calls, I keep betting to make it 
5 bets on the flop.  Normally I would have thought Gee, I wonder if anyone 
has a 5.  Here I don't think about that.  The turn is a Q and I bet again 
and now Oliver raises.  I half thought about re-raising here but some sense 
of normalcy came over me and I call down to be shown 8-5.  The other player 
had AA but didn't raise pre-flop.  I at least sucked out on him for 2nd, 
nice hand well played sir.  I also spewed off 2-3 extra bets on a wheel 
board with my set as I honestly didn't see the wheel.

The banquet was great and I got my super-system book signed and a great 
picture with Brunson.  I am thinking of taking that picture to make a custom 
chip and use it as a chip protector.  Spend Saturday night losing only $20 
in the 3-6 drinking game which is a good trick for me this trip.

I managed to lose over $500 playing 3-6 so my net win for the week 
was -$200. Interestingly when I was back in Seattle I played in the big 
limit game in the state and the cards hit me solidly for 5h and I booked a 
100 sb win.  Then on Friday I played in a small $50 tourney (45 players) and 
won and then played in the 2-20 spread game for 2h and also hit 4 4's for a 
$375 bonus.  Good couple of days upon return!

Great to see long time friends again.   Thanks to the organizers who put in 
so much for nothing in return other than our thanks which we owe them much 
of.  Also glad to see I can still get along with the McLibtards who I have 
nothing in common beliefs with but can share a drink and laugh with.

I booked a 6:30 am flight back home to watch the kids.  That 4:15 wake up 
call sure was LOUD.  A week without drinking and some sleep sure has made me 
feel better.

I can't wait until next year.  If anyone comes to Seattle and wants to 
drink/play email me.

Monte "Hodger" Christensen